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The Presentation Ceremony at Ferndown Upper School (FUS) is the best day of the year for the John Thornton Young Achievers Foundation (JTYAF) and 2018 marks a 10 year partnership with the school where a total of £130,000 has been awarded to 250 students.

This year over 30 outstanding students received individual awards and the charity also funded nearly £4,500 worth of specialist IT equipment for pupils with special educational needs. The students had the chance to meet local dignitaries before and after the ceremony and enjoyed chatting to them about their achievements.

The awards supported an impressive range of interests and activities. Music bursaries will help 4 talented students to purchase instruments ranging from saxophones to ukuleles, enabling them to develop as musicians. Several students with a special interest in languages have received funding to cover the cost of language courses and one student will be studying Korean thanks to the JTYAF.

A young lady will be representing the UK in Rifle Shooting with the charity's support and a young man who is currently World Champion in his age group/engine size in Karting, has received a scholarship to help him achieve his ambitions.

The charity also funded accommodation for a young lady to take part in a week long work experience at Aston Martin, where she aims to work in sales and marketing. This is just a flavour of the diversity of talent at FUS which the JTYAF encourages and supports.

John would be extremely proud of all that his Foundation has achieved over the last 10 years and there is no better place to celebrate that achievement than at his old school.